"How about this one?"

Makoto took the shirt that his mother handed to him and tried it on, but once again it was way too small for him.

"It's no good" he sighed, "Okaasan, do I have to throw away all my clothes?"

Mrs. Tachibana looked down at her forlorn son, sporting a rather dejected face. He had just undergone a major growth spurt, and was now having trouble finding clothes in his wardrobe that would fit.

"Why don't you give them to Haruka-kun? You can wear otosan's clothes until we go shopping for new ones!"

Green eyes immediately lit up at the suggestion and the sullen downcast face was no more.

"Okay!"

X-X-X

Haru plopped himself back on his bed as he eyed the bags in front of him.

"What's this?"

Makoto knelt on the floor after putting all the bags down.

"They're my old clothes; I can't wear them anymore so I'm giving them all to Haru!"

Blue eyes studied the boy in front of him, running up and down his entire body and eyeing the not so subtle changes. He really is huge, was all Haru could think.

Makoto fidgeting nervously after receiving no reply from Haru.

"Ne, Haru. You don't mind, do you? I-I mean, if you don't want them I could always give them to someone else!"

"Of course not!" Haru immediately covered his mouth after his sudden outburst, "I-I mean…I'm glad. Thank you, Makoto."

His body eased itself from its tensed-up position when Makoto's laughter filled the room.

"I'm glad, Haru-chan."

That night was a cold windy night. Haru snuggled under the sheets, trying to get some warmth. After finding a comfortable position on his side, he lay there, eyes closed, mind blank.

He was completely unaware of what his own body was doing; he continued to lie there in peace, drifting in between sleep and consciousness. Inhaling deeply, Makoto immediately boarded Haru's train of thoughts. Visions of that familiar face flashed through his mind, everything about Makoto came to life inside.

Saving the question of 'why am I thinking about Makoto' for later, Haru continued to embrace all the Makoto in his mind. His wonderful smile, his laugh, his beautiful green eyes, his warmth, his voice, his scent…

Haru inhaled again, and it felt as if he had just breathed in more Makoto. Why do I feel this way? He brought the neck of Makoto's shirt to his face absentmindedly and, gulping in air once more, a fresh breeze of Makoto came his way. Smiling in the dark, Haru continued his thoughts on Makoto.

His scent…

Sitting up all of a sudden, Haru felt as if he was having some sort of 'eureka' moment. With slightly cold hands, he took the shirt he was wearing and brought it to his nose. He breathed in again and again, revelling in his newest discovery. There was no doubt about it; Makoto's clothes would definitely smell of Makoto.

When he finally drifted off to sleep that night, Haru had the sweetest dream he had ever dreamt in his entire life.

X-X-X

"Haru-kun," his mother called out for him as he passed by the kitchen.

"Yes, Okaasan?" Haru inquired as he poked his head through the door.

"When are you going to change your shirt?"

"E-eh? Ah, w-what shirt?"

Haru's mother laughed as her blue eyes gleamed teasingly.

"You've been wearing that shirt for days now, Haru. When are you going to change?"

"W-well, Okaasan I haven't worn this shirt outside of home. S-so it's clean!"

"Hm? Are you sure that the reason isn't because it's Makoto's?"

Haru's face immediately paled as he tiptoed backwards, needing to escape.

"N-no, of course not! I just, I was just trying to save detergent you know. It's not like I like this shirt or anything."

"Anything you say, Haru-kun" his mother laughed as she watched her son retreat back into his room.

Upstairs, Haru clutched as his rapidly beating heart. Okaasan almost found me out. I better change my shirt today! The raven slowly and reluctantly took off the shirt, and then once more pressed the limp cloth to his face. Makoto's scent was slowly fading, but it was still there.

Haru stared at the rest of the clothing Makoto had brought over for him, and it took him awhile but he soon lightened up at the prospect of having many, many more items of clothing to go through. Even then, he found it hard to drop that one shirt into the washing machine later on. He really didn't want to let go of Makoto.

X-X-X

It was months later before Haru hit a growth spurt of his own. That morning he woke up, feeling a little suffocated due to the rather small neckline of his shirt. It took awhile before he finally realised, with abject horror, that he himself had grown out of Makoto's clothes.

"Okaasan, okaasan!" he stumbled through the house, calling for his mother.

"What is it, Haru-kun?"

"Okaasan," Haru stood there for awhile, catching his breath before explaining further, "I grew."

Later that day, Haru watched with complete and utter sadness hidden behind his dull emotionless eyes as all his old clothes, including the ones from Makoto, were given away to some of his mother's friends and other charity groups. That one part of Makoto that he had been keeping for himself all those months was now…gone. Vanished. Along with a piece of his heart.

X-X-X

"Haru, it's getting late. Would you like to stay the night?"

Makoto looked up from the screen as their game came to an end. Haru leaned back and looked back at the green eyes.

"If it's not too much trouble…"

"It never is, Haru. Would you like to bathe first?"

Haru, towel around his neck, stood in front of Makoto's wardrobe as said boy went in to shower. It had been almost three years since his own growth spurt, and yet, whenever he went over to Makoto's place, he could barely resist the urge to reach out and grab one of Makoto's shirts. Whenever he slept over at Makoto's place, he would always, always take one of Makoto's shirts to sleep in. He couldn't resist the temptation after all.

Tonight, Haru took out the orange and yellow shirt that he usually wore, unless it was in the wash. He stroked the soft fabric with delicate fingers before, once again, bringing it up and taking a big sniff.

"Makoto…"

The name slipped through his lips smoothly, and before he could further embarrass himself he hurriedly put the shirt one. Now, he was finally one with Makoto again.

"Are you comfortable, Haru?"

"Un. Are you?"

"That's good. I'm very comfortable."

"That's good too."

Makoto's chest rumbled with his soft laughter, a sound Haru loved so much and could never get sick of. He snuggled deeper into the brunet's arms, seeking warmth.

"Goodnight, Haru."

"Goodnight."

The clock ticked by, the silent darkness enveloped the boys as they prepared to enter dreamland.

A quarter of an hour passed, time flying by without any barriers. Haru was still not asleep, too absorbed in his own world of thoughts (of Makoto). When he was sure that the other was sleeping, he bravely proceeded to press his face further into Makoto's warm chest and wrap his arms around his waist tighter.

After taking in a few breaths of Makoto, Haru felt he was ready to fall asleep.

"I love you, Makoto" he silently murmured against the other's shirt as his own eyes started to droop, and he fell effortlessly into a deep sleep soon after.

Little did he know that Makoto was awake at that time, now furiously blushing in the darkness.

His breathing eased a little when the raven's soft breathing filled the air. Pulling the blanket up, he gave the sleeping boy a short soft squeeze.

"I love you too, Haru."